The first Filipino American International Book Festival (FilBookFest) is coming to San Francisco’s Civic Center on Oct. 1 & 2, 2011. The book festival is the first-ever of its size and focuses on literature, music, art and performances by and from Filipinos and Filipino Americans. Everyone is invited to take part in this free public event to enjoy Philippine literature, culture and food.

The book festival will take place in three adjacent locations in Civic Center: the San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin St., the Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., and on Fulton Street between Hyde and Larkin streets. Lectures, author readings and panel discussions will take place through the Library; the Asian Art Museum will host culinary demonstrations and tastings; and booksellers, vendors and food booths will be located on Fulton Street.

Among the featured guests at the festival will be Benedicto “Bencab” Cabrera, who is considered the most celebrated Filipino artist of his generation; he will be signing copies of his new book, BenCab: Nude Drawings; also appearing at the festival will be Ambeth Ocampo, who has written Meaning and History, the definitive book about Philippine National Hero José Rizal.

FilBookFest has something for everyone:

Enjoy fun and informative demonstrations and panel discussions on such topics as how to get published, how to market your book, how to create ebooks, translating ethnic literature, and more.

Attend lectures on Filipino heroes and Philippine cinema.

Meet the largest gathering of authors of Filipino heritage outside the Philippines.

Visit the Main Library’s Filipino American Center, one of the few public library institutions dedicated to highlighting the Filipino American experience.

Bring your children to the Library’s Fisher Children’s Center for readings of children’s books by well-known personalities, videos of Batibot (a popular children’s TV program), talks for parents and teachers on various aspects of Filipino culture, and a digital storytelling program where teens can create their own digital stories.

Be inspired by poetry readings, Spoken Word performances and theatrical renditions of popular novels.

Enjoy music, comedy and performances by local theater groups.

Partake of free tastings, food booths and culinary lectures including artist, chef and food columnist Claude Tayag, the author of Kulinarya and Food Tour, and Felice Santa Maria, author of The Governor-General’s Kitchen.

FilBookFest is presented by the Literacy Initiatives International Foundation (LIIF), a nonprofit organization; the Filipino American Center of the San Francisco Public Library, the Philippine Consulate, the Asian Art Museum and the Philippine Department of Tourism, in cooperation with TFC/ABS-CBN Foundation International. Among its sponsors are Friends of the San Francisco Public Library; Asia Foundation, the University of San Francisco’s Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program, Ramar Foods International, Philippine Airlines, Target and Chevron.